I'm Coming Home
by Cerenbus.Snape.Malfoy
Summary: Draco is away at war, fighting for the freedom of all wizards after they were discovered and enslaved by muggles. Draco left behind his pregnant wife, Hermione Granger, and despairs he may never get to see his child. Not wanting to leave his wife and child without a husband and father, he tries to come home, but is faced with many perils along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING! Please note that my stories tend to wander extensively from the cannon story lines.**

**Genres:** Romance, war, angst, family, hurt/comfort

**WARNING:** rated T for mild language, major angsty-stuff, blood, death, war, blah blah blah, suicide, torture, murder, blah blah blah, bullying, mobbing, self-harm, blah blah blah, sexual harassment, overt gayness, rape, blah blah blah… You know, the usual.

**Disclaimer: **Sigh… must we do this all the time? I really don't think any of you think that _I _would be stupid enough to lay claim to the greatest series ever created… I mean, if you're looking for someone to give credit to… I'd take it but sadly, that title belongs to the one and only J.K. Rowling.

/_italics mean dreams and sometimes thoughts. _**/Bold means letters or notes that the character is reading or, if proceeded by an impending 'AN' it means 'Author's notes' **

**AN: Enjoy! ;)**

**_,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,Draco,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,_**

**_September 13_****_th_****_, 2005_**

**_My dearest husband,_**

******_While you are away at war, I know it is not safe for me to be sending you a message, but I haven't heard from you in months… please, are you well? I hope the war is going well. Tell R and H that L, P, G, and the others send their love. I would write their names… but well, that may be just too dangerous. I know you know who they are._**

**_P.S. I wanted to tell you this to your face… as writing it in a letter seems so impersonal. But… I can't put it off any longer, and the war seems no closer to drawing to an end, so I am just going to say it. Darling I'm… pregnant. _**

**_I love you! _**

**_H._**

"Letter from home?"

I looked up, startled by the voice just over my shoulder. I turned to see a grinning Harry as he walked passed, slapping my shoulder in a friendly way. His carefree smile almost hid the grim look behind his eyes, though I could see it was there. Everyone had that look. We'd been in this bloody war for nearly five years now, when some stupid wizard had gone and shown the world their powers. The muggle leaders had freaked out and sent their military down on us. It took them a while before they found all the magical places, but with the aid of a few turncoats, they succeeded. There were very few safe havens for the women and children to hide anymore.

I smiled at him, a distant look haunting my eyes as I folded up the letter and neatly tucked it in my worn old boot. "Yeah…" I mumbled. "Hermione says Luna, Pansy and Ginny say hello to you and Ron." I told him absent-mindedly.

He smiled briefly, then noticed my faraway look and moved to sit by me. "Hey, are you alright? No bad news, I hope?" He asked, his green eyes looking deeply into my own silver ones.

I sighed, looking away. The Boy Wonder and I had been school rivals, but we had, somewhere along the lines, become close friends, and me and Hermione being together was a whole different story, and even now, I find myself wondering how I had ever become so lucky.

"Yeah… great news… actually. I'm… going to be a father." I replied, staring blindly at the ground.

I looked up to gauge his reaction. He stared at me for a moment, and I could tell what he was thinking, even through the smile he offered me. Having children in the middle of a war wasn't exactly the best thing to do, as their lives would be in danger, and not to mention they could be orphaned at any time if one or both of their parents were fighting.

"Congratulations." He murmured, squeezing my shoulder.

I nodded and smiled slightly at him, feeling weariness drag me down. "Get some sleep." He told me in a commanding tone, standing, and I only just caught his last words before he left the tent for guard duty.

"Front lines tomorrow."

**_,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,Harry,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., _**

I sighed, walking out of the tent, leaving Draco to get ready to at least try and get some sleep. Even after nearly five years of sleeping on cots, the ground, rough surfaces, anything you can imagine, it was still uncomfortable for the blonde, who had been born and raised in the lap of luxury. It was a miracle beyond words that he was still alive today, being that he was font lines half the time. All the good wizards were.

The war, you should think, would be almost irrevocably in our favor, as we had magic on our side, but in truth, the muggles were winning, and by a long shot. For one, they had tanks, and numbers on their side, as well as the greatest strategic minds, and for another they even had a handful of turncoat witches and wizards.

I sighed, sitting down at my post, clutching my wand, eyes darting about, I only let half my mind focus on Draco's newest problem. Hermione was pregnant, and that was wonderful, but it was also very bad. Not only was Hermione no longer on her top game, and couldn't help with the war efforts, but every time she stepped outside her door, she would not only be endangering her own life, but the life of their unborn child.

Any other time, I would be happy for them, delighted even, as they had been talking about starting a family before the serious war began. But as time went by, and Draco was needed more and more on the battlefront, I had thought they had forgotten their dreams of being a happy family with children.

I sighed. It was going to be a long night.

**AN: I don't know, should I continue? You decide! I will if I get enough reviews…**

**I didn't honestly want to try and tackle yet another story, but this has been swimming around in my mind for so long now, I just had to start writing it. let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

**_,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,Hermione,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., _**

**September 24****th****, 2005**

**My dearest wife,**

**I'm sorry for the delay in my reply, as, by the time this reaches you, it will most likely be nearly three weeks after you sent your original letter. But, as you know, I had to pass the letter along many different ways to avoid giving away your position.**

**Send L, G and P my love, I hope they are doing well. **

**P.S. How far along? **

**Me xxx**

I smiled, staring at the letter in my hands. It was indeed three weeks after sending my first letter, and I was relieved to hear from him. Judging by the date on the letter, he had sent it nearly two weeks ago. It took about a week for my letters to get to him, and about two for his to get back to me. We each had different, rotating systems to keep the muggles and the turncoats off our trail.

It was the fourteenth of October, and I was four months along. I had been putting off sending him that letter for so long because I had desperately wanted to tell him to his face. By the time my next letter got to him, I would be four and a half months along. By the words he had written, I had no idea if he were pleased or not about the baby. That was why I had so desperately wanted to tell him to his face, so I could tell if he were angry, or upset, or happy….

I sighed and began writing my reply.

**_,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,Draco,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., _**

"Enemy target spotted!"

"Watch your side there!"

"Mind your heads! Get down, enemy snipers ten o'clock!"

A mass of small explosions erupted and the smell of burning flesh filled my nostrils. A smell I still hadn't, and never would, get used to. I ducked down, eyes darting back and forth, completely trusting the men behind me to watch my back as I aimed and fired a series of curses at the muggles.

Several of them hit their target, but the firing never stopped, there were still a few out there. I squinted, my eyes darting about again. I couldn't get my head up enough to locate the source of the firing, especially if I didn't want to lose it.

"Fall back!" I threw over my shoulder when the firing still didn't relent and no muggles could be spotted. My squad obeyed, crawling backwards until we were no longer in the way of the heavy stream of bullets. "Blast! They've already got the heavy artillery." I hissed, slamming my fist down on the soft soil as my team lay there around me, panting and waiting for orders.

I sighed, staring at them. "Alright, we need to regroup, fall back and find Ron's squad, then we're heading back to base." I finally ordered and they all obeyed and we crawled another ten feet before I deemed it safe enough to get back on foot.

"Sir, that looks like Ron's squad up ahead." A young officer informed me.

I squinted, staring in the direction he pointed. "Get down." I instructed and they all immediately obeyed. I cleared my throat and let out a long, low whistle, then stopped and waited. My call was repeated a few seconds later, with the little change Ron always made to the tune. "Yep, that's him. Come on."

We walked for only about a minute before meeting up with Ron's squad. "What happened?" I cried, taking in the horrid sight before me. Several of his men were bleeding and had obviously broken limbs, and the team looked like it had lost at least three of its members.

"We got ambushed, it was a small group, but they had the advantage of surprise and we lost Montague and Anderson right away. I had to call off the attack…. What about you?" Ron replied, staring at my small squad as they huddled behind me.

I glanced back. "We've only flesh wounds, but we couldn't get to the enemy base, couldn't even get passed the first squad, they've already brought in reinforcements with the machine guns and other heavy artillery." I replied glumly.

"Alright, we need to get back to base. Move out!" Ron called, and we all collectively started moving again, the less injured helping the more severely wounded.

"Get them to the infirmary!" I called as soon as we were back at camp, heading for the head tent to report on progress.

"Draco, good, you're back. Good news, however, is too much to hope for, I should assume?" Professor Slughorn asked as soon as I had entered.

"Ah, you're too pessimistic, Horace, give the boy a chance to speak before you condemn us all with your words." Remus Lupin, the werewolf defended me.

"I'm afraid he's right this time, Remus." I said gravely, taking off my helmet and wiping my brow, feeling my hair stick to the top of my head from the heat. "We lost two men when Ron's squad was ambushed and I couldn't get my team passed the barriers, they've already reinforced them with heavy artillery."

"Blast." Remus slammed his fist on the table, his eyes roaming the map. "Okay, so they've gotten backup already at the west wing, was Ron able to get in the suspected second base at all, or was he ambushed before he was able to get near it?" He asked, looking up at me questioningly.

"From what he told me, he hadn't gotten close enough to go in, but the fact that they were stopped with such vicious force, I'd say the muggles've got something there they don't particularly want us to know about." I replied thoughtfully.

"Yes well, you could be right about that. We'll send another squad at dusk, see if we can surprise them. In the mean time, Draco, get your men patched up and ready to fight again tomorrow, make 'em get to bed." Remus told me with a tired smile.

I offered him the best smile I could muster and limped out, wondering if I had been shot and I was only just now noticing it, as there was a stabbing pain in my left calf. I headed to the medical tent and made sure all was well, then got my leg checked out. I had only just been grazed by a bullet, and would be fine, the nurse said.

"Alright guys, we're going out there again tomorrow, get some rest." I told everyone as they got in their cots.

"Night Draco."

"Night."

"Goodnight."

"See you in the morning, Sarge."

I smiled sadly, then bid them goodnight before leaving the tent.

"Oh, hey, Draco, this came for you earlier today." A random soldier offered me a letter before walking away with no further explanation.

I looked down at it, miffed to see it had already been open and read. Unfortunately for privacy's sake, all the letters to and from had to be read by the leaders. I trusted Severus, Remus, Tonks, Horace and the others, but I just didn't like them poking their noses into my business.

I smiled, however as I opened the letter and saw it was from Hermione. I sat down to read it.

**October 14****th****, 2005**

**My dearest husband,**

**Once again, L, G and P say hi. **

**P.S. by the time this reaches you, I will be four and a half months along. **

**H**

I stared at the letter. Four and a half months? Why had she waited so long to tell me? I sighed, leaning back some. Perhaps she had merely wanted to wait and inform me in person. That sounded like something Hermione would do.

I sighed and couldn't help but smile. Just four more months… and I would be a father. Just four more months, and I would have another special someone to fight and win freedom for.

**AN: So, I know it's short, but hey, short and sweet, right? Hope you like it, please review. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

**_,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,Hermione,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., _**

**October 15****th****, 2005**

**My darling wife,**

**Tell them we love and miss them.**

**P.S. That's wonderful. I love you. **

**Love, **

**Me xxx **

I smiled, tucking Draco's letter into my sleeve. I would have loved to reply right away, but I was in the middle of putting together relief supplies for the war effort. By now, I was almost five months along, and I was desperately worried about Draco. I knew little to nothing about what went on in the war, other than the muggles were still winning, and Draco was front lines most of the time. He was living dangerously, and I was terrified that he would die and leave me and the baby alone in the world.

That thought made me physically stop, my heart speeding up in my chest, my breath hitching in my throat.

"Hermione? Are you alright?"

I blinked, my eyes focusing on Ginny as she sat before me, helping me pack things in boxes to be sent to help relieve the soldiers, who didn't have the pleasure of everyday supplies such as toothbrushes, soap, food…

I sighed, shaking myself out of it. "Y-yes… I'm fine, Gin. Thanks." I offered her a weak smile that she wasn't at all fooled by, judging by the half-smile she returned. We both continued packing things in the little shoeboxes, but I noted her eyes flicking to me more than once every so often.

I sighed and struggled to my feet after packing the hundredth box. It was literally the hundredth – I had counted.

Ginny looked up at me confused, as we still had about fifty boxes and tons of supplies left, -all generously donated by magical families who had family off fighting in the war. By this point, there wasn't a single family who didn't. All the men were away fighting, and all the women were staying at home, under the pretence of staying out of the war. The women, however not on the front lines, were conducting espionage, collecting supplies and sending messages. They were as much in the war as the men were.

I smiled down at her. "I just… need to take a breather, you can keep going if you feel so inclined." I informed her, moving away into the kitchen. I sighed, sitting down and taking out Draco's note, reading it once more before writing a reply.

**_,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,Draco,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,_**

"We've got wounded here!"

"Back away! Get out of the way!"

"Fall back!"

"Keep your head down!"

"Enemy is in pursuit!"

"They're coming! LEG IT!"

I fired as many hexes as I could manage, giving my men time to get out of the way as the muggles stormed after us, their clear determination winning out, along with showing off the new sets of armor and shields they had perfected to deflect most spells and curses. They were bloody brilliant, I had to give them that, most inventive, along with destructive, and not to mention chauvinistic. They couldn't stand anything to be different from them.

I shook myself out of it, then suddenly realized I was flat on my back, explosions and screams all around me, but I barely heard any of it. I had blood gushing from a terrible wound to my head and found a peace to have settled inside myself, despite the utter chaos surrounding me.

I blinked slowly. I was so tired… I just… I just wanted some rest. When was the last time I had slept on a soft bed? Or slept longer than three hours at a time, for that matter? I blinked again, the ground slowly feeling softer and softer, and I could feel peaceful sleep just around the corner, and then, someone lifted me up effortlessly, throwing my almost weightless self over their shoulders and carrying me, wand flinging curses behind them as they ran.

I felt myself slip in and out of consciousness, only dimly aware of the carnage going on, or the crossfire as it flew passed my head which was throbbing and still bleeding. Everything was spinning and rippling. I closed my eyes, but found that I was still dizzy and nauseous.

I blacked out, and then, I was standing back in my old apartment, the one Hermione and I had shared before I'd gone off to join the war.

_"__You don't have to go. They aren't forcing you to join." Hermione pleaded, fixing the collar of my new uniform, avoiding looking at me. She eventually did so reluctantly. _

_"__No, Hermione. I ran away from the Wizard War, I'm not running away again." I whispered, looking deep into her eyes that were slowly filling with tears. _

_"__B-but... we wanted to start a family, we're g-going to have kids- and… we're going to live happily ever after." She spluttered, fighting to control her emotions, and obviously losing the battle. She had been traumatized by the wizarding war when we were students, and after it had been over, she had never dreamed another war would ever rise again, but alas, fate was not so kind. _

_"__Hermione… happily ever after only happens in storybooks. This is real life." I murmured, gently rubbing a thumb over her chin. _

_"__But- I can't lose you." She sobbed, finally losing the willpower to hold in her emotions. She cried and clung to me and I held her, murmuring softly into her hair. _

_"__Shh, it's okay. Be the strong woman you are, Hermione, helplessness doesn't suit you." I murmured softly into her hair. "You're not losing me, just loaning me out for a while. I'll be back. I promise you won't lose me."_

"DRACO!"

_"__I'll owl you when I can, and maybe get to see you every once in a while-"_

"DRACO!"

_I stopped. That didn't sound like Hermione's voice…. And I'm fairly sure she didn't yell at me in this memory…_

"DRACO?!"

I blinked, my eyes flashing open to stare up at Harry as he leaned over me, green eyes flashing in worry, scrapes and dirt all over his face. I blinked again, feeling a dull aching in my head. What had happened?

"The attack-" I murmured, trying to sit up.

"Just relax, mate. We had to call it off." Harry murmured, pushing me back down.

I swallowed. "Again? Did we lose anyone?" I murmured huskily, eyes glinting with worry.

Harry looked away, not bothering to even try to hide his pain. "Yeah, we lost… Blaise, and Stecks… and almost you."

I stared at him. Blaise…? He had been a good friend of mine for years… I suddenly felt sick. I moaned, closing my eyes and rolling over. Harry jumped back just in time for me to empty my stomach right where he had been crouching beside me. I moaned again, curling up slightly, clutching at my stomach as it roiled about violently.

After I calmed down and Harry had cleaned up the mess with a flick of his wand, he settled down next to me again, and I was ready to hear the details – it wasn't an uncommon thing, getting sick nowadays, even with our magical blood. Years of not bathing properly, sleeping out in the cold, or on hard, filthy surfaces, not having enough to eat, being exposed to the harsh chemicals of war, all played a role in damaging the immune system, and hearing dreadful news of losing comrades… worsened the effects.

"How did I… make it out? I don't really remember…" I furrowed my brow, thinking and briefly remembered being thrown over someone's shoulders.

"Ron carried you."

I looked up at him in surprise. "Weasley?"

"Don't give me that 'Weasley' shit, he considers you a friend, and you know it… and you consider him one too." Harry sighed exasperatedly, sounding impatient with the fact that Ron and I still persistently tried to hold onto the enmity we'd had in our schooldays, despite the fact that most of our arguments these days lacked the sincere spite they had held when we were children.

I sighed, closing my eyes. "What are we going to do, Harry?" I whispered. "We're fighting a losing battle, we're losing people every time we attack, we're losing ground… we're losing family members, we're losing friends, we're losing… we're... we're just… losing."

I felt Harry's hand clasp lightly around mine and I squeezed it weakly. "You're brave to be with us still, Draco." I heard him murmur.

"It- it hurts…" I moaned, pulling my legs to my chest slowly, feeling pain shoot through my abdomen.

"Shit." I heard Harry cry in alarm, and I watched blearily as he quickly grabbed his wand and fired off several curses. The alarm blared and I felt fear strike its way into my heart. We were under attack and I think I had just been shot. I looked down wearily to see blood pouring from a wound in my stomach. I'd been hit by a silencer. Without proper medical attention, I would be dead in minutes, and everyone was a tad busy right at the moment.

Harry stayed diligently at my side, throwing his body over mine in an attempt to protect me as he fired his wand blindly at the attackers.

"We're outnumbered! Abandon the camp!" I heard one of the superiors cry.

I pushed on Harry's chest weakly. "G-go… without me…" I slurred.

"No! I'm not losing anyone else today." He murmured, pulling me up and putting me over his shoulders, still firing curses and running backwards so as to not turn his back on the muggles, keeping me from being exposed to their shots. Harry ran through the crossfire, bullets flying just past our heads, spells and curses doing the same. I let out a cry when a bolt of pain shot through my stomach as I thumped against Harry's shoulders. I was losing blood rapidly and stars were dancing across my vision.

I wailed in pain as Harry was shot, dropping me as he hit the ground. "Leave… me." I begged.

Harry shushed me and started rapidly throwing leaves and trampled branches over me, then I heard him run away, heard a blast and a body fall, shouting… but it was all growing further away, so distant. I closed my eyes, trembling. I was ready to allow the darkness to enclose when my hand brushed over the note from Hermione I had kept with me. It had fallen out of my pocket. I slowly clenched my hand around it. My wife… my baby… I couldn't leave them. I couldn't, especially not when Harry had just saved me at his own life. I pressed my hands against the wound and clenched my teeth through the pain, willing myself to stay awake. For Harry. For Hermione. For my unborn child.

I would _not _die.

**AN: Hmm. Not as fond of this chapter. Let me know what you want to happen next.**


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